Corporate Hospitality and the Bribery Act

Speculation that Britain’s new Bribery laws threaten the future of corporate hospitality is largely misplaced. Entertaining clients can legitimately remain part of business life, but companies need to ensure that hospitality is proportionate and clearly designed to build on business relationships rather than influence decisions.

However most businesses lack a clear and simple decision-making process. A simple decision tree can be put in place which will make it clear whether hospitality can be offered for 95% of cases. There are always grey areas, but it is nothing like as complex as some commenters are suggesting.

The GoodCorporation decision tree sets out an example process, which businesses can adapt or extend to help them decide on whether to offer hospitality. Whether an invitation is 'of significant personal value to the recipient' can be decided by judgment or by monetary limit. A useful rule of thumb might be to avoid hospitality that is valued at more than two hours' pay of the guest.

Click here to view the GoodCorporation Hospitality Decision Tree.